Thanks to meredith, ginger newts, for her help with this chapter! She helped on the scene when they were talking to the order, her brillant idea was Minerva's shouted response.
Chapter Five
‘Two hours,’ Minerva thought to herself, “I am tired and I need a shower, yet we are still here!’ Madam Bones, the new Minister of Magic, was much more competent than her predecessor but Minerva desperately wanted to go home and maybe talk to Albus before the night was over.
Unbeknownst to her Albus was having similar thoughts, but he also knew the Order was suspecting them at Headquarters immediately following this meeting. Hoping to bring the torment to an end he said, “Madam Bones you have all the information concerning this incident, and I would like to get Minerva back to Hogwarts. She is still recovering from the attack last year, and needs to rest. Thank you for your time, and if you have any questions do not hesitate to ask,” he finished standing up indicating his desire to leave.
“Oh yes of course. I do hope you are well, Minerva,” Madam Bones inquired rising with Dumbledore.
Sending Albus deadly looks Minerva replied, “Thank you, I’m fine.”
Once out in the hallway Minerva turned on Albus, “I’m not still recovering! Why can’t you understand that? If I was I would have fainted a long time ago, Albus.”
Trying to calm her he placed a reassuring but firm hand on her shoulder, “I know, but they don’t. Telling them that got us out of there, and please correct me if I’m wrong but I thought you would have wanted to leave.”
That did the trick, and Minerva lowered her gaze to the ground before saying, “The order next I presume.”
“Afraid so, my dear, but I’ll get us home as quickly as I can,” he assured her as they exited the building.
“Alright.” In mere moments they were seated around the table preparing themselves for the second round of questioning.
“So let me get this straight,” Moody started after an hour had passed, “you brought in eleven and stopped him from getting what he wanted. You’re leaving a lot out, Dumbledore. I want specifics; what was he trying to do, can he do it again, and how did you stop him?”
Albus knew Moody would never accept their vague answers, but he wanted to save Minerva and himself the embarrassment of telling them they had made love.
“He was trying to harness an ancient magic using a spell Merlin created to be performed on the Summer Solstice and at the very center of the structure. Minerva and I were able to stop him, and if he could do it again it would not be until next year.”
“How,” Moody pressed further.
“Next year Minerva and I will go again if need be,” Albus replied. Minerva, who had been quiet, shot Albus a look but he didn’t look down to her.
“Dumbledore, you and Minerva may not be available next year. We need to know to prepare ourselves,” Arthur Weasley said calmly.
“WE HAD SEX,” Minerva yelled out of frustration. “THAT IS HOW. HE WAS TRYING TO HARNESS SOME MAGIC THAT RECQUIRED HIM TO HAVE SEX. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT WAS TO SUPPLY TWO MEN SO THE MAGIC WOULD GET CONFUSED! SO YOUR ESTEEMED HEADMASTER AND I DID IT RIGHT THERE ON THE GROUND WITH AN AUDIENCE IF THEY HAD BOTHERED TO LOOK!”
Every order member was staring at Minerva, mouths hanging open. Minerva’s cheeks were flushed from anger and embarrassment as she contemplated leaving the room, but she couldn’t leave Albus. Sitting back in her chair she looked straight ahead.
“Is that true,” Tonks asked the first to recover from the shock.
Taking Minerva’s hand into his own Albus nodded his head, “Yes, we made love. Now I hope you understand why I was reluctant to tell you the details, many of which I still won’t tell you. One couple involved in the most intimate of acts places the magic into the stronger of the two partners, usually the male. Two couples confuse the magic, and not knowing which to enter it goes to neither. We found out three minutes before the ceremony started. It was the only option,” Albus spoke calmly as he stroked Minerva’s hand with the hand not holding her own.
“Talk about part of the job,” Mundugus whistled. Minerva couldn’t look at Albus afraid of what he would say, be he didn’t say anything. He half-heartedly smiled and clutched Minerva’s hand tighter. Silence fell on the group until Molly Weasley spoke: “Dumbledore and Minerva you two must be tired. Why don’t you go back to Hogwarts? We have all we need to know.”
No one objected so the meeting was adjourned, and Albus and Minerva left as fast as they could. Once they had gone Arthur approached his wife, “Molly why didn’t you invite them to stay for dinner?”
“They needed to talk. Did you notice how he held her hand, or how when Mundugus said it was just part of the job they looked sad or distant?”
“So do you think they are involved,” he asked intrigued.
“No, but I’ve always thought they held feelings for the other.”
“That must have been awkward.”
“Exactly why they needed to talk,” Molly replied grinning.
However as soon as they got back Minerva raced back to her room without speaking to Albus; she wanted to know what he was thinking but she needed to get away from him for awhile and a shower was just the thing.
She stood in the shower just letting the hot water run over her. Her thoughts drifted back to the night before…his hands. She had been right he was an amazing lover, and given a set of different circumstances she knew he would be even better. But those hands she could feel the way they moved over her body, soft but firm. The way he touched her, and those fingers…oh they were so long. Minerva felt herself getting aroused just thinking back on the night, so she missed Albus slip in behind her. He placed a hand on her back, and she thought it was part of her dream.
‘This is some day-dream, it feels so real. Like his hands are touching me again,’ she thought to herself. Smiling Minerva allowed herself to get caught up in her “dream.” Albus took her silence but soft sigh to mean she welcomed his advances so he moved his hands all over her back, to her stomach rubbing in soft circles making his way to her breasts. She moaned out loud, and was vaguely admonishing herself for getting so aroused when he wasn’t there but then she felt his fingers in a certain place and she began to wonder if it was a dream.
When he slipped two fingers into her Minerva’s eyes flew open, “A-albus,” she asked out of breath.
The only response was a heated kiss on her shoulder. She was coming so fast! She had wanted to talk before anything like this happened again, too late. He let her calm down before turning her around, and lifting one of her legs. Deciding they could talk later Minerva gave herself up to him again vaguely thinking that maybe they would make love in a bed eventually.
Later that night Minerva awoke not finding Albus beside of her. The last thing she remembered was getting dressed, and he carried her to the bed promising next time would be in a bed. She fell asleep wrapped in his arms. Sitting up in alarm she found him standing by the window.
Getting up she moved beside of him and gently said, “Albus, what is it?”
He handed her a piece of parchment, “The eleven you brought in today have escaped. Don’t know how.”
She read it a couple of times to make sure her sleep induced mind wasn’t playing tricks on her then she moved behind Albus and wrapped her arms around his middle resting her head on his back.
“Do you need to go to the Ministry,” she asked quietly.
“Yes, I’ll need to leave in a few minutes,” he replied.
Getting up her nerve Minerva realized this might be her only chance in the next few days to tell Albus how she felt: “Albus,”
“Hmmm,”
“I love you.”
He turned around and cupped her cheek, “I love you, too. I tried to hide the truth from myself for years, but when you got attacked last year it all hit me. I don’t know what I would do if I lost you, Minerva. When Tom used Crucio on you I completely lost it.”
Snuggling against him she said, “I know. I’m not sure I have ever seen you that mad before, it was for me?”
“Yes, my love. I don’t want you to get hurt,” he replied running his fingers through her hair.
“Don’t put me in cage, Albus,” Minerva said leaning back to look him in the eye. “We lions don’t like that, and I want to help you.”
“I know, and I’ll try not too. Gently remind me if I do,” he replied kissing her softly.
“I shall, but it may not always be gentle,” she said once the kiss was over.
Chuckling Albus drew her to him for a longer kiss, “I know.”
“Thank you,” Minerva said a moment later as she settled back into his embrace.
“Whatever for,” Albus asked a little bewildered.
“For making me so happy and for getting all mad at what Tom did. My hero,” she replied a little on the dramatic side.
“Oh dear, is Minerva McGonagall being dramatic? Well I believe she is,” Albus replied grinning.
“You are a bad influence. I suppose after all these years something was bound to rub off on me.”
Smiling Albus gently picked her up and carried her back to the bed. “You sleep now, love, and I’ll be back as soon as I can. Oh, and Minerva…I promise the next time will be in a bed.”
Blushing she hit him on the shoulder before he left.
Indeed it was, and this time due to some well placed silencing charms no one could hear the moans, the cries, and the screams that went on all night long.
